In spite of having this automobile accident I am very fortunate. I am 79 years old and I don’t have any serious problems other than broken bones from the accident. For 79 I am pretty healthy. Maybe tomorrow I will come down with diabetes or something, but I don’t think so.

When she was in poor health my mother used to tell me: “Doris, don’t ever get old.”

I used to tell her: “well considering the alternatives, I’d rather be old than dead!”

My mother thought that death would be a welcome thing, but I am not ready to welcome it. I think I’m fortunate in that way.

My car accident was in March, 2000, and I am still being put together. I’m doing pretty well really. I can’t dance anymore and I hate that! I love to dance, and tapping your foot just doesn’t do it!

Pain is getting a lot better. As long as I take my pills I am fine.

Concerning this accident again I went to a crazy doctor in Fresno who put me on methadone. It’s not the thing to take. I didn’t want it; it made me feel really goofy. Finally, I had a blow-up and told the doctor that I wouldn’t take it anymore. They had to put me in rehab to get me off of the methadone. That was the low point in my life.

But it was also kind of funny because here I was in rehab with all these young people and their purple hair. (Laughter)

We had fun! But that was a real low point in my life. I didn’t like being in rehab. This was not for me. I was in rehab for a few weeks. This crazy doctor was supposed to be leaning me off of methadone but he ordered them to continue to give it to me.

Finally I just got furious. I told them I wasn’t doing it anymore and I went home. That turned out OK.

That doctor was experimenting with me. I was a lab rat. A company that makes methadone was trying to push it as a pain killer drug for use after serious injuries.

So rehab was quite an experience. I had a lot of fun but I also hated it. I have some blank spots in my memory as a result of this accident. I had a pretty serious head injury. I’m doing pretty well today.